I sent mini cupcakes in when it was DD's 3rd birthday at nursery. The staff were really grateful as it saved them preparing snack and it was a treat for the kids. Also, MIL had baked 3 dozen of them and I didn't have another option bar eat them all!

I took a cake into my dds parent & toddler group a few weeks ago. One of the children there can't have cake so I had a wee party bag filler (I think it was a wee toy figure) in for her. But most people bring a cake/ buns into the group for birthdays. usually eaten by the parents

I'd take cake. If you've been going a while you'll likely have noticed who does and doesn't eat that sort of thing. Haribo are a useful alternative for anyone who may have allergies. My niece has them as an alternative due to soya/dairy/egg/gluten (anything cake) allergies and intolerances.

It quite often happens at the two toddler groups my son attends - sometimes the child is also having an actual party elsewhere and this is just a way of spreading the cheer, sometimes not. I would have done it for my son's first birthday, but he was ill, and we both spent it lying on the sofa. I will probably take cake or cakes to the group when he turns two in a couple of weeks - for the sake of stickiness, I will probably try to make something that isn't covered in lurid icing or something, but which is still delicious.

Could you take in some nice fruit instead? Blueberries, grapes, strawberries? Or mango/pineapple? I'd appreciate that far more - especially as there are lots of toddler birthdays (so potentially lots of people bringing in cake over the year).

I'm going to buck the trend and say it really bothers me if people give my dc cake - there are birthdays almost every week and I don't want dc to have lots of cake (especially shop bought preservative laden cake)

Our nursery has a no cake for under 3's policy - parents are encouraged to bring in special fruits like berries etc (normally they have apple, banana and orange).

I think it's a great idea but please ask/ tell everyone in advance if possible. DS has food allergies and there's nothing worse than watching his face drop when he's told he can 't have any. Given some warning I'd make sure I had some cake that he can have with me

I just feel that when dc are small we have a huge responsibility to give them the best nutrition possible.

So, for example, when we have lunch with another family who offer my dc children's yoghurt (sugar, sugar and more sugar) and squash - it's ok as a one off. But it means they're full up on rubbish and I just feel quite frustrated by it. Dc are more than happy with a bowl of natural organic yoghurt and water.

I'm going off on a ranty tangent. Sorry.

By the time dc are at school properly, it's not so bad. It's just when they're so small it bothers me.

My dc was given a packet of haribo aged 1 from a party (for 1 year olds). Thankfully dc had no idea what they were. They went in the bin (no tears from dc). Was I mean not to introduce him to sugary/gelatine tooth rot? Or kind. Hmm...

We do bake at home a couple of times a month. Dc know what cakes and biscuits are. They just don't have them every day (or week) and are small enough to consider its of foods "treats" (berries, tomatoes, bread sticks, etc)

At our toddler group we often have birthday cake for adult birthdays or leftover from other events, but it stays in the kitchen and is generally only for the adults - people hide behind the fridge and ram it in quick, spitting crumbs if a child tries to wander in

The gingerbreadmen "barrels" you can get in supermarkets or bakers are more popular for children as they aren't very messy or overly sweet, and they tend to have fewer ingredients than cake.

Op, yes I am serious. I have older dc who don't binge on treats and still see breadsticks as a treat (no idea why)

I'm strict while they're little and have no idea about sweets, chocolate etc. I'm not depriving them. I'm giving them the best start nutritionally! Once they're at school they discover other sweets etc and that's ok. But all in moderation.